Do I need a 7-pin connector in truck bed with a Revolution/SideWinder ?

[Kenz]

The do (at least they did at one time) make a heavy rubber mat for the bed floor. Had one in my 99 dually.

[ferguson65]

As said above, get a heavy rubber bedmat and cut the rail holes in it. They are usually about 3/8 thick, should make the transition smoother from floor to rails. Cut up plastic liner and place in trash. I've used the plastic liners with the rubber mat, and now have the spray in liner with the rubber mat. Second is the best of both worlds.

[Jim in Halifax]

I would spray a liner material in box.....install rails as per spec leaving spaces between....It is much easier to hose out/clean any mud-straw etc when there is space below rails

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by ferguson65

As said above, get a heavy rubber bedmat and cut the rail holes in it. They are usually about 3/8 thick, should make the transition smoother from floor to rails. Cut up plastic liner and place in trash. I've used the plastic liners with the rubber mat, and now have the spray in liner with the rubber mat. Second is the best of both worlds.

Hitch rails should not be installed over any rubber mat. They should be installed metal to metal on the bed floor with nothing but maybe a spray in liner under them.

[PhoneDude 8289]

Need it, no I don't think so but nice to have I would say so. I don't have one in the bed of the truck, no problem for me.

[leefl]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Hitch rails should not be installed over any rubber mat. They should be installed metal to metal on the bed floor with nothing but maybe a spray in liner under them.

Understood and agreed.
I cut slots in my drop-in bedliner for the rails.
Just wondering if something else between the bedliner and the bed, might help protect the bed itself more, since others have indicated that the drop-in liners are not good for the bed itself (would still cut around the rails)

[ferguson65]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Hitch rails should not be installed over any rubber mat. They should be installed metal to metal on the bed floor with nothing but maybe a spray in liner under them.

OC, not quite sure how you missed the "cut the holes out for the rails" part. I was suggesting that the rails would be more "flush" with the bed floor if the mat was cut out to fit around them. Guess maybe it wasn't clear enough, but the mat should be cut to fit around the rails, not bolted under them. Some were saying that cutting the bedliner it may need to be screwed to the floor to not buckle once cut. 3/8 rubber will lay flat. Certainly wasn't suggesting to mount the rails over the rubber. That would be well, dumb.

I remove my rubber mat, or roll it up to install the 5th wheel. I have not cut it because I like a fairly flat floor with no holes when it rolled out.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by ferguson65

OC, not quite sure how you missed the "cut the holes out for the rails" part. I was suggesting that the rails would be more "flush" with the bed floor if the mat was cut out to fit around them. Guess maybe it wasn't clear enough, but the mat should be cut to fit around the rails, not bolted under them. Some were saying that cutting the bedliner it may need to be screwed to the floor to not buckle once cut. 3/8 rubber will lay flat. Certainly wasn't suggesting to mount the rails over the rubber. That would be well, dumb.

I remove my rubber mat, or roll it up to install the 5th wheel. I have not cut it because I like a fairly flat floor with no holes when it rolled out.

Didn't miss it, it said cut for bolts, not anything about cutting for the rails.

[ferguson65]

Originally Posted by ferguson65

As said above, get a heavy rubber bedmat and cut the rail holes in it. They are usually about 3/8 thick, should make the transition smoother from floor to rails.

That's what it was...............

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by ferguson65

That's what it was...............

Rail holes, nothing about the rails themselves, just holes, no slots.

[ferguson65]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Rail holes, nothing about the rails themselves, just holes, no slots.

Taking this and running with it I see. The mat wouldn't help level the bed floor if the rails were bolted through it. Not what I said, not what I meant. You drill holes, not cut them. I'm not an idiot. I'm done with this thread before I type something that gets me banned. Continue your fun.

[Kenz]

They do make fifth wheel hitches where the rails are under the bed. Remove the hitch and presto! No need rails. Would still need to cut the plastic liner, but by using a mat you could roll it up to the front when using the hitch, roll it back to cover access holes when the hitch is removed.

[leefl]

Originally Posted by Kenz

They do make fifth wheel hitches where the rails are under the bed. Remove the hitch and presto! No need rails. Would still need to cut the plastic liner, but by using a mat you could roll it up to the front when using the hitch, roll it back to cover access holes when the hitch is removed.

I looked at the under-bed mountings, but they only work with a specific few (and much more expensive) hitches, like the Reese Elite series, and generally they seem to be less readily available than the others, so went for the Reese custom install mounting kit and rails (got them from E-Trailer) and the Reese Titan hitch.

While on the subject of bed-liners tho', does anyone have any experience with the BedRug liners ?
http://www.amazon.com/Bedrug-BRQ08SB.../dp/B0046PM3WS

Of course I'd still need to cut it to fit around the rails, just like I did with the Ford plastic drop-in bed-liner, but it does seem like a nicer solution, and I'm wondering if the fact that it appears to fit specifically to the contours of the truck bed (better than the Ford liner) may mean that it stays down better even when cut.

Any thoughts/experiences ?